01.25.05

Rodney Marsh, the football pundit, has been sacked by broadcaster Sky Sports after making an “inexcusable” joke about the Asian tsunami disaster.

Marsh, appearing on phone-in programme You’re On Sky Sports, is believed to have joked that David Beckham had turned down a move to Newcastle after hearing of the trouble with the “Toon Army in Asia”.

The former Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City and Fulham striker was sacked after bosses reviewed his comments this morning.

A Sky Sports spokesman said: “During the live night-time phone-in, Rodney made comments that were offensive and inexcusable. An apology was made within the programme and Rodney’s comments were edited and removed from later transmissions.”

The frequently outspoken 60-year-old was quick to apologise today for his remarks.

He said: “I apologise unreservedly for any offence I caused by my thoughtless and inappropriate comment I made last night. My intention was to make a light-hearted football joke.”

(Rodney getting the snip after losing a wager that Bradford City couldn’t stay up)

No apologies, presumaby, for David Beckham whose limited intellectual capacity is common fodder for jokes (usually those that scan better than Marsh’s).